President Obama and climate change

Opinion-Editorial

By FRANK FRALEY |
6/12/2014, 4:35 p.m.

This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a new proposed policy to cut carbon pollution from America’s power plants. As we enter the summer months, now is the time to think about climate change and clean energy.

The Obama administration is putting forward common sense policies that will force power plants to clean up their act. Sensibly, the federal government is giving states the flexibility to choose from a set of policy options to try to reduce carbon pollution from power plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

Carbon emissions coming from traditional fuel sources, such as coal and gas, are pollutants directly contributing to climate change. Also, increasing levels of air pollution and ground ozone during the summer months worsens asthma and other lung conditions.

Last month, the White House issued a timely report outlining an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy to combat climate change. The strategy includes the use of zero emission, non-polluting, reliable nuclear power.

Global climate is projected to continue to change over this century and beyond. Like Obama, SHARE NY believes there is still time to act. Climate change is real. We need to adapt our daily lives to that reality. The White House plan rightly and smartly prepares our nation.

In New York, we recognize the importance of clean and affordable energy for our communities and, most importantly, for our families. A clean energy future will create a growing economy that will produce jobs for those in and just entering the workforces while reducing greenhouse gases,and air pollution and mitigating climate change.

Energy and environmental issues extend into almost every sector of our daily lives. We must be mindful of climate change and its costs on our daily lives. Energy and environmental issues (such as climate change and air pollution) have economic, education and health care costs, too. As communities become mindful of those costs, they will understand how vital it is for us to embrace a clean, green energy future.

SHARE NY supports Obama and the EPA in implementing these sensible regulations that affords states the opportunity to cut emission levels and to develop cleaner sources of healthy, affordable and reliable electricity.

Frank Fraley is president of SHARE NY, a nonprofit, membership-based organization comprised more than 50 individuals, organized labor, clergy, businesses, chambers of commerce and community and other groups who strongly support the license renewal of the Indian Point Energy Center.